finishing serged edges

Here's a little technique on tucking in those threads that are left when you serge something. You can tie them in knots, but this is much cleaner looking. Using a large needle with a big eye, slip the needle back into your serging and pull the threads through. You can thread the needle after slipping it in when it's short. To make a really tight finish, repeat the whole technique to wrap the thread twice.

Right now I'm dreaming of a new serger...

Happy serging!

a little trick for finishing serged hems

Here's a handy little trick for tucking in the serger threads on your projects. Take a large needle with a large eye and slide it into the seam, about an inch or so. Thread the serged tail through the needle and pull it through. If you want, you can repeat to really lock it in. I learned this from one of my sewing friends, and it's been the best solution!


Another way to finish threads is to tie them in a knot, although this works best where they don't show.

What is an overlock stitch?

Here is a seam that has been serged, or sewn with an overlock machine.

Meet my serger aka overlock machine

What is a serger? What is an overlock machine? Meet my serger. It's a faithful machine, of which I am very fond.

What does it do?
Think of it as a special sewing machine. It has needles, just like a sewing machine. But it also wraps and cuts the seam, with a few more threads and a blade.

Why is it so great?
It's fast! It also finishes the edge of the fabric, so instead of two pieces of fabric with a stitch line, it's right on the edge. And it looks cool, so you can use it on the outside, even make it part of your design. Some machines can do a rolled hem too.

For things like pants, you can serge the raw edge of the fabric, fold it over once and stitch it down. That's one less layer of fabric inside your waistband, so it's more comfortable and less bulky (what a funny word...).

What if I don't have one?
Good question. That all depends on what you want to do. Making a simple pair of drawstring or elastic waist pants? it's a piece of cake, just a few simple modifications.